Ready, set, scoot! Investigating implicit attitudes toward risky e-scooter riding situations: A go/no-go association task study

E-scooters are a popular intercity mode of micro-mobility, with usage steadily rising in Tel-Aviv and other cities globally. Despite the increasing e-scooter use, there exists a gap in understanding the attitudes of these vulnerable road-users toward the associated risks. This study aimed to explore e-scooters’ implicit and explicit attitudes toward the risks associated with e-scooter riding at different city locations in Israel.

Two experiments were conducted toward this goal. The preliminary study involved developing a customized Go/No-go Association Task (GNAT) tool, utilizing real-world scenarios. Forty-six participants briefly observed pictures of different e-scooter riding situations and rated their riskiness level on a Likert scale. Overall, riding on designated trails was perceived as safer than sidewalks or roads, except during phone conversations. Roads and sidewalks were perceived differently regarding riskiness level only during phone use with headphones or navigation. Neglecting to wear a helmet was perceived as risky. The GNAT tool proved valuable in assessing implicit attitudes.

In the main study, sixty-four participants completed tasks assessing implicit and explicit attitudes toward risky riding. Self-described more cautious riders demonstrated more accurate responses to risky situations under negative than under positive priming, showing more favorable norms than less cautious riders. For positive priming and risky blocks, there was a positive effect of explicit attitudes on the probability of correctly identifying risky situations, suggesting that less cautious riders demonstrate more favorable norms only under positive priming. Understanding e-scooter riders’ attitudes may contribute to producing interventions that reduce risk-taking tendencies. Implications for licensing and policy recommendations are discussed.